If you have had trouble finding a parking space before class this semester, you are not alone. Some students pay nearly $200 just to be left without a space.

Students pay $180 for student and commuter permits and end up forced to park in overflow instead. It seems that the university has been steadily overselling their passes in the last few years, with prices going up and spaces being even more difficult to find.

According to a representative from the Traffic and Safety Office here at MSU, prices went up across the board during the 2015 and 2016 school year.

In defense of this, the Traffic and Safety Office said they go by a passes-to-spaces ratio each year, and they are currently sold out for this semester. However, it seems that they have already oversold. My question is why not lower the ratio? And why sell such a large number of passes when there are only so many spaces?

“Some students have classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. While others go on Tuesday and Thursday” said an office representative.

However, one unnamed student says it is impossible to find a spot in the commuter lot near the CHER building, the most isolated building on campus.

“There are around 49 spaces in that parking lot, and there are 50 people in 10 a.m. class alone. I parked in a space that was not labeled ‘no parking’ or SCM, and I was towed” she said.

Students that park at Butler Hall are also dealing with ineffective labeling of parking spaces. Many people have reported getting slammed with multiple $40 tickets for parking at Butler, formerly a student lot, now changed to apartment housing parking.

With the cost of living on campus rising, the university should give their students a break when it comes to expensive parking tickets and spaces. At least give us what we paid for.